European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Forensic research and medico legal investigations demand for standardized techniques that help to estimate the chronological age of living individuals. Age estimation methods suggested by various authors have focussed only on the endpoint of epiphyseal developmentand their criteria for each stage of ossification are unclear. This cross-sectional study aims to explore the relationship between the ossification of iliac crest and chronological age in a modern South-Indian population. The pelvic radiographs of 390 subjects (213 males; 177 females) were analysed using a novel scoring method that subdivides the ossification of iliac crest into six stages and each stage of ossification was correlated with chronological age of the individual. The present study revealed that the degree of epiphyseal growth is dependent on the age of the age of the individual, which supports the fundamental basis of age estimation methods.In accordance with previously published studies, significant sex differences with epiphyseal changes in females occurring earlier than males are recorded.The present study is the first to offer a standardized method to undoubtedly identify six stages of iliac crest ossification on radiographs along with their respective age ranges at 95% confidence interval. The standardized criteria of stages eliminates inconsistency between interpretations of same radiographsand the subdivision of the ossification process into six stages enables forensic experts to estimate a more refined age of the individual. On comparison with similar studies, the existence of population variability in the process of ossification was substantiated. Thus, there is need forspecific data on iliac crest ossification from respective geographical areas to ensure more accuracy in age estimation.Further research is required to establish the existence or significance of lurking variables in relation to the ossification process.